Why This Matters
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18% OF JOBS REQUIRE AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE
18% of social and human service assistant jobs require an associate degree, while 39% require a bachelor’s degree and 16% only require a postsecondary nondegree award.
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35,600 MORE SOCIAL AND HUMAN SERVICE ASSISTANTS NEEDED BY 2032
This profession is growing much faster than average, with a 9% increase in the need for social and human service assistants anticipated by 2032.
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POTENTIAL TO EARN OVER $55,000
While the median pay for social and human service assistants throughout the country is $38,520, the top 10% of workers in this field make more than $58,770.
Our Research
This list features some of the best online associate in human services degree programs at top colleges nationwide. Each school featured is a nonprofit, accredited institution — either public or private — with a high standard of academic quality for post-secondary education. Many of the programs on our list have been accredited by the Council for Standards in Human Services Education (CSHSE), which assesses the objectives, quality, and overall effectiveness of social and human service-related programs.
We evaluated each school’s program on admission, retention, and graduation rates as well as tuition costs, faculty, reputation, and the resources provided for online students. Then, we calculated the Intelligent Score on a scale of 0 to 100. Read more about our ranking methodology.
Next, we compared this comprehensive list of online associate in human services degree programs to a list of aggregated college rankings from reputable publications like U.S. News & World Report, among others, to simplify a student’s college search. We pored through these rankings so students don’t have to.
- 80 hours to write this article
- 150 universities and colleges we assessed
- 168 education programs we compared
The Top 50 Online Associate in Human Services Programs
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What You Should Know About This Degree
Human services degrees are focused on teaching students how to provide advocacy and intervention help to families and individuals. While this degree has a relatively broad focus when it comes to crises, there are similar degrees that prepare students to provide more specialized services. This includes degrees in addiction studies or substance abuse counseling, as well as degrees in child development and psychology.
When selecting your degree program, it’s important to consider your career goals, as well as your learning style. Use the Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs to ensure that your chosen program is properly accredited and that credits are transferable to other institutions should you move or decide to upgrade your education.
After graduation, you may have several rewarding job opportunities to choose from. Those who complete this degree may work as probation and parole agents, social workers, benefits managers, adult daycare workers, or youth workers.
If you choose a career that involves working with private information or vulnerable individuals, it’s worth noting that background checks are usually required by employers. Additionally, some professions in this field, including social worker, may require you to obtain licensing from your state.
What’s Next?
Here are some questions to ask when researching online associate in human services programs:
- What licensing and certifications are required? If you choose to work with at-risk youth or individuals, you may need to become a licensed social worker. This involves passing an examination with your state board and keeping your licensing up to date as per state regulations. Additionally, many careers in human services require workers to pass regular background checks.
- Am I eligible for this program? Online associate degree programs all differ, as do their prerequisites. While some colleges offer open enrollment for human services programs, meaning there are no prerequisites, others may require students to have minimum scores on SAT or ACT tests.
While researching available programs, be sure to keep track of important details about each program that appeals to you. That includes taking note of deadlines and application requirements, as well as costs. If you require financial aid or decide to apply for scholarships or grants, be sure to submit applications on time.